Hey There,

Welcome back! This is my sixth day of posting straight! This will be ending my mini-arc but we're just getting started on where the rest of the story is going. I hope that you have enjoyed this nutty trip so far, because today. They're coming home and I can't wait to get started on the rest of this journey.

Special thanks to my friend Rose-Aki for her wonderful reviews. Thank you so much for your support and kindness. Also, your assurances where I'm super nervous. None of this would be possible without you!

Standard Disclaimers Apply - I do not own any of the trademarked things mentioned in this post. I am merely borrowing all of it for my own crazy plots. Most will be returned unharmed.

Dedicated to my fellow friend writer who made me fangirl so hard about a shared fandom. I nearly ended up in the floor. AMAZING TALENT and WONDERFUL FRIEND! You know who you are and this one is for you!

Enjoy!

"They Forgot!"

Chapter 17 - Heavy Homecoming

(Mai's Perspective)

I wish I didn't have to ever return home at all. I wish I could have stayed there on the island with Zuko forever. I wish that I could have stayed surrounded in our friends and the support we'd found there too. But even if it were just the two of us left there, I would have never wanted to leave.

I got so spoiled sleeping next to him every night, I knew I was probably going to struggle sleeping alone again. Waking up with his face somehow always pressed into my hair. The way he'd smile whenever he's awake but he's pretending to still be out. Seeing him so relaxed and not so weighted down with all of the responsibilities and stress of running EVERYTHING… He wasn't being stalked or stared at, he didn't have hoards of people tripping over themselves to please him.

He got to be so normal there…and I just never wanted to go home.

Of course, life doesn't work like that, and Tuesday did come way sooner than we wanted. Then it was my turn to dodge the nightmares and night terrors. That didn't even have the decency to wait and attack me when I fell asleep. No, mine had been living and waiting for me, back at home. Wanting to eat me alive and spit out my bones, apparently. Even when we didn't get back until late Tuesday Night, nearly Wednesday in the respect that it was forty-five minutes short of midnight. All I had to do was walk into my house and pretend to go to bed… But from there, I would sneak out and head to the palace for the big meeting Zuko would be throwing for all members of Team Avatar. Just so it's clear where everyone goes from here. Simple, right? Or so I had hoped.

Naturally, this is the one trip that my parents were waiting up for me to return from. I could see I would never be left alone till I'd told them what I'd said to Zuko. I would have to end up confronting them all over again. This time they thought they had the upper hand because they thought I was on my own and at home to stay. They weren't expecting Zuko to personally escort me in at this hour, they wouldn't be dressed for bed if they had.

But hilariously, there they were seated in their thronelike chairs, in their sleepwear. Receiving The Fire Lord and me with a flock of replenished Kiyoshi protectors from the palace. (Even if Suki and Ty-Lee were still the guards standing closest to us). That the Fire Lord would be coming to make this announcement personally. That he would bring back the Avatar as well as his team to make it all official. But that had been his big idea on how to swiftly prove to them once again. That he (the Fire Lord) would always have the upper hand no matter what.

I walked in on his arm, with my engagement necklace tucked away again, and he cleared his throat. "I know it's getting late and everyone is tired, we've all got early mornings tomorrow. But I couldn't wait to share our happy news, it can't even wait till morning to share it with friends and family. I'll be making the formal announcement from the palace tomorrow morning. I promise I won't take up too much of your time, I'll make it short and sweet. While I have been away, I did ask Mai to marry me. Against her better judgment, she has consented to be my Fire Lady-"

My fiancée did just manage to say before all of our team, all Kiyoshi warriors present, and some of my family's house staff. Who has watched over me since I was very small (if not my whole life). They were all clapping and cheering. They carried on so much that it took a little bit for everyone to settle down. My parents both didn't even clap, they just looked around at everyone like they'd lost their minds.

I tugged on the arm I was holding and said in his ear, "You think I chose this against my better judgment?"

Zuko smiled at me and said, "Come on, I always count you as probably the smartest person in the room."

Then Zuko's hand covered mine, the one that had been rusting in the bend of his elbow and he tugged me closer. As we walked together to stand in front of my parents. He waited for our surroundings to simmer down, but then he made clear, "My staff standing here with us as well as our staff at the palace has already treated Mai right for years. When I say I need her treated like the royalty she will undoubtedly become. That message is more for you two than ANY of them, your workers. You refuse to treat her like a person, yet alone royalty. The next time either of you see fit to act as you have been during this last weekend. It will be a punishable offense by law. So unless the two of you want to take a more necessary trip to see your brother the warden at the Boiling Rock. I suggest you start treating your daughter like the Queen she already is."

Then both of my parents stood up and bowed to both of us. After Zuko dismissed everyone else and it was just my parents and the two of us (Besides the Kiyoshi warriors lining the walls). My parents welcomed Zuko to the family. While promising that I would be much better-taken care of, till the wedding took place. My father even assured him, "You have nothing to worry about, My Lord. She'll be in the best of care."

Zuko didn't say anything, but his expression told me he didn't believe a thing my father said. I wish I could say differently, but there's only so many times you can get burned before you stop trying to touch a flame. I couldn't believe a thing he said either.

Then they wanted us to all walk out of there together, with the false visual of a family. I told them, to head on without me like normal. I needed to report to the same meeting Zuko would be attending next. Why take the trouble of sneaking out when they now have to think I'm Queen or something? I told them the truth, that a meeting would be happening in the war meeting room, of the palace with Aang and the rest of Team Avatar. I told them, "Don't wait up, like normal."

Then I traveled to the palace with everyone else... honestly it felt strange taking that way and not my sneaker route. I kept feeling like I was going the wrong way. We all attended this last hurrah before everyone shot off in different directions. Some people stayed at the palace to leave in the morning. Other's left tonight.

Everyone was needed in different parts of the world to do completely different things. So Aang got it all aligned and clear, in case anyone needed the other. Toph had stayed behind on the island to resume classes Wednesday morning. Uncle Iroh and all of the older folks were reporting to different White Lotus outposts. Zuko had cleared it with Azula's keepers at the mental-illness center that Azula and Kavin would stay for an extra week. Gifted to them by the Fire Lord as long as they agreed to stay on the island. So they could enjoy a longer honeymoon and plan out everything they would need for their next ceremony in front of the Fire Elders. Some White Lotus sentries would be escorting them back to the institute when they were expected to return. Katara was going to visit Gran-Gran in the Southern water tribe, Sokka was going to visit his former master Piandoa. Aang needed to visit his friend King Bumi, Ty-Lee was tracking down her circus family (if it wasn't too far, I had agreed to go with her) and Suki would be heading to Kiyoshi island to pick up a bunch of new recruits and hopefuls.

Basically, only Zuko and I would be remaining here, and Zuko would only be remaining till tomorrow evening apparently. When the meeting was over and only Zuko and I were left. He reminded me, "You can untuck your necklace now."

"Oh you're right." I realized and he helped me bring it back from underneath my high-collared dress.

"You can wear it proudly out in the open now... if you want." He smiled.

I asked him, "Why hadn't you warned me that you would be leaving so soon again?"

He sheepishly claimed, "I honestly didn't remember, so much happened during our trip. I completely forgot about all I would still need to do when I got back."

I didn't like it but I told him, "I'll let it slide this time, there was a lot going on during that whole trip… but from now on let me be a little better warned about these things."

"Will do," he promised before saying, "I really don't want to go at all. I just want to keep spending every free moment with you that I can… I got spoiled on the island, it feels like it's going to kill me to even be away from you for a single night. This is probably a short three-day trip."

"Then why not make it a shorter trip?" I asked.

He chuckled and said, "I wish it was that simple."

I tugged on his cape, "You'll never know till you try."

So he promised, "Okay, I'll try to return as soon as possible. But don't be too surprised if I still take just as long to show up again."

"I'll be waiting impatiently for your epic return." Then I kissed him and he made that kiss last a lot longer than I intended.

I bid my fiancee "Goodnight," and fully planned to head home. But Zuko caught hold of my hand again before I was completely out of arm's length. He asked softly, "Where are you going? You're not going home NOW are you?"

"I was," I admitted, I knew he had to be sick of me already. "We might as well rip the band-aid."

But he caught better hold of me by encircling my waist and he pulled me close again. "No, don't go, please." He said even softer, almost pleadingly. "Stay… please stay… leaving tomorrow night is gonna be hard enough. Please don't make me have to stay away from you an extra night on top of the three I already have to get through. Hoping I'll find some way to sleep when I'm already way too used to having you beside me again."

How could anyone turn that down?

So I let him pull me along with him as he went to his bed chambers. Our sleepovers here are so frequent, I already had a change of clothes, toothbrush and everything else I could possibly need here. I got to spend one more night wrapped in the happiness we'd known all weekend. And sleep had even come easily for the both of us.

It wasn't till late in the morning, the following day. That I found myself finally alone in my hideaway. I had to be at the palace while the official announcement was made first thing this morning. "The Fire Lord has OFFICIALLY chosen his Fire Lady." We had to make the royal announcement. So Zuko shouted it from the palace stairs to thousands of awaiting subjects. That Azula was newly married and he'd selected a bride for himself as well. The reaction was a positive one and there were tons of people celebrating the rest of the day. Right after that, we had to speak with the press about the stories we wanted told throughout the Fire Nation as well as the rest of the world.

We also had to sit in for a portrait that would accompany the headline. I hate having to sit in for ANY artist. Being a daughter of a high-ranking politician I end up doing this four times a year if I'm lucky. One year I had to do it every two weeks, I swore never again. But Zuko didn't warn me that was going to let this picture be a romantic one. Not until we were both sitting close and facing each other and we had to keep up this gentle look. I've never had such a problem not laughing or staying still for one of these sessions. But it's very hard to stay still and serious while your likeness is being sketched out. And you have to keep staring at the person you love so much. Zuko struggled even more than me. He kept leaning over to kiss me or my hand. Which kept making me laugh, it was just hysterical. And the end result was my favorite I've ever seen when I was featured in the portrait.

I knew when Tom-Tom was home from school, he would remember I was home. He would make sure I kept my promise and spent some time with him. But while I had a few moments to myself. I finally found my way back to my hideaway carrying the letter he'd written me for my birthday.

The place where Zuko had made me wait to be again, till I could read his birthday gift to me. A letter he'd written for me, back when he was planning my surprise. I had been dying to read it since he'd given it to me. But he had asked me to wait till I was here again and missing him.

I know that technically he isn't even gone yet, but I know I also miss him already. So this is totally within his requested preliminaries.

So I open it and finally read over the words I have been wanting to read all this time.

He begins as always, with my name and the date at the top. It's dated the night before my birthday. The moment I recognize his somehow scrawling and masculine handwriting, I immediately melt.

((Day-Month-Year))

Mai,

Of all the things you could have asked me for. I would have never even guessed this. Leave it to you to choose something this out of the ordinary. Even label it the only thing that you want too and you mean it! As glad as I am that you like these letters so much. I wish that somehow made them easier to write. Or let me know what write about… that's the thing I think I struggled with most. What do I even write about, that's good enough to be a birthday gift?

I'm not a writer for a reason… I can hear you already pointing out, "Clearly." All smart alike and sexy somehow… even 'imaginary-you' or 'on-paper-you,' still somehow make me crazy.

I was so stumped on this one, that I even asked around a little. To see what kinds of things our friends write about in their love letters. But that was a dead end I may never fully recover from, fully. Some of the over-shares were brutal to the point of pain. But I didn't give up, I wanted this to be great… but I can't do great. I can only be me… so I decided to make this the best letter you could possibly have. That will help you miss me a little less when I'm gone.

The best way I could think of to help you. Was to think about what I do when I'm the one who misses you like crazy. Which I… I like to make lists.

Weird, right?

I like to make all kinds of lists counting up or down moments with you. Lists about our sleepovers, our dates, functions we've turned into dates, mission trips we've turned into getaways. Best battles during dates, best times I watched you pin people down with your knives… Best times I was the one getting pinned down with your knives. Some of the lists could be read by our friends and they wouldn't even get it was about us (I tend to leave the header naming the list off). But honestly, most of them couldn't EVER be read by our friends. We may never get to be around any of them again, without blushing to oblivion if any of those leaked beyond you and me.

They count forwards or backward. For better, for worse, all the best and worst moments we've had together. The lists tend to grow, change and move all around as we share more time together. After the trip we're planning right now, I'll probably need to start them ALL over again. But it's the greatest pass time I can find, that lessens that feeling of wanting to pull all of my hair out. I miss you that badly.

Finding time to write them all down shouldn't be as easy as it has become either. But I find myself scribbling them down in corners on news scrolls, paper napkins or anything else I can get away with. If you ever fingered through my notes and official documents. You would probably come across five or more different untitled lists. Knowing you, you could pinpoint what it was about without the header to give it away… hopefully, no one else can. I'm just thinking of the poor souls who are expected to help me keep all of that stuff up to date. Hopefully, none of them have noticed them or have solved what they mean.

Just to prove that I'm not kidding, and your boyfriend really is this sappy and lame. I will even share with you two such lists here in this note. One is innocent enough to share if you want (I really don't care, I know how girls talk, and Ty-Lee is always bugging you for details). But the other is for your eyes only. (They're both attached to the back this letter)

Between all of the normal work and planning a surprise party with all of our friends. This almost didn't get finished in time, but hopefully, it still makes you smile and HOPEFULLY, your birthday weekend was an overwhelming success that should have happened years sooner. I hope you only had fun the whole time. That even as you return to your house today… and I'll most likely be off on another trip soon. Missing you like crazy (so off making more lists)! You can take those good times with you and know you're loved. We couldn't, none of us EVER forget you, and we never will.

I know before I'm even walking into your house with Sokka (I'm doing that tomorrow). That your family has probably forgotten again. Tom-Tom's little, I don't blame him but your parents just seem so cruel about it. Even though a lot of us, not just me, went to great lengths this year. Reminding them and trying to make certain your family didn't forget again. But like I said, I'm not surprised by this at all. As angry as it has always made me, watching them mistreat and underestimate you. I always wish for a way that I could take you out of there. So you never had to be treated that way again. That I could just keep you with me and I never had to give you back.

The takeaway I need you to carry with you from all of this yammering is I will never treat you like that.

I know I have had my fair share of mistakes and mess-ups in the past. I even know that most of the time I don't even come close to deserving you. But I can promise you that I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the best man I can be. Just so I can stand a chance to be a partner you count on and keep. I can't see my future without having you beside me. I only hope you feel the same way.

So what I wanted to say more than anything (and probably still didn't have come out right). That I am so incredibly fortunate to know you and have you in my life. I hope in this new year you're starting I can show you that a little more. That I can love you right and be more of the person you need. I hope that you can stick by me and let me continue to figure out where we're going and what's next. I know that if I am really to be the best Fire Lord I can be. The only way I have a chance to do that, is if you're here with me. So keep that with you, and never let anyone else ever try to tell you something else.

Yours truly,

Zuko

P.S. - (dated the night of Mai's birthday and just hours before he proposed)

After writing this and meeting with your parents today, I realized that I needed to ask you something tonight under the fireworks. If you're still thinking about your answer. I hope this helps. If you've said no, That doesn't change a word of anything I said above. And if you have said yes, know that I am the happiest person on the planet. Even if I don't show it all the time. Happy Birthday, I love you and hope that we can share many, many more happy times together.-Z

((Back to Mai's Perspective))

After reading that one, I took a moment to collect myself. I think I read the whole thing three more times before I dared to look at the two lists attached to the top corner.

The first list was 'Top Ten Favorite times I (Zuko) Made Mai Smile.' So that must have been the innocent one, even if some of those moments were very private too. It was sweet and silly more than anything.

The second one was surprisingly innocent in its title too, which read 'My REAL List of Moments I was Happy to be Alive.." Zuko had even explained "A military type screaming General had been in his face for weeks when he'd written that one. Telling him about how lucky he was to have been born" But some of those moments tallied were some of the more risque moments we'd shared together. I couldn't even believe how he'd mentioned them so distinctly and casually. I blushed so hard that I was still very pink when my little brother came up to my Hideout's door and knocked loudly, "It's time to play Mai!"

So after we'd played all the new games he's friends at school had taught him while I was gone. When I finally got my brother to settle down and work on his letters some more. I was so glad that Tom-Tom was only working on letters and couldn't read yet. While he was completely absorbed into his work, I stole some parchment and ink to make a few lists of my own creation. I was meeting with Zuko one last time before he left tonight, I would be seeing him off right by his airship. I thought it was only fair since he'd gone to such trouble. Making so many lists in his spare time, and sharing a few with me too.

It was the right thing to do. That I come up with some way to make up for all of my letters to him that he'd lost or accidentally destroyed. If I could do that and help him miss me a little less. Then I was certain, I could send him off a little better than normal... I was kidding myself, I knew that. I knew this would be the most difficult time I've ever had to watch him go, ever. Not even his banishment had been this hard, that had felt like it tore me in half. I wasn't ready to give up my happy bubble yet. But we had to do what we had to do, and I wanted to send him off with a smile, not my usual grimace.

So, I came up with a few innocent ones, in case anyone were to look over the Fire Lord's shoulder. Then I thought a few that would have to be for his eyes only… just to place him in the same dueling heaven and hell I had just been through reading his letter. and lists

He gets to leave, I'm stuck here… I even planned to write out some more after he'd left tonight, so I can gift him again the next time he has to go. Which will come sooner than either of us want or realize. Maybe this could be a new method of flirting and torturing one another. Gotta keep things interesting when you've known each other as long as we have.

Tom-Tom can't read words yet, but he knows his name, my name and as it turns out...I guess the news of last weekend prompted his teacher or my parent's to teach him another name. He pointed at the page in front of me and said, "Zu-Ko… Zu-Ko… Sissy is that for ZuZu?"

"It is, let me see what you've been working on." I said reaching for the pages he'd been scribbling away on. Getting more on the teeny child-sized tabletop than he was on the parchment.

"I do good? I do REAL good, eh sissy?" He asked

"Yes," I agreed, "You did very well... but we have really got to work on you not marking up all the walls and furniture, kid."

"I missed." He shrugged.

I had to refrain from laughing. "Yes, I see that, but we gotta work on making sure you don't miss quite so much."

He ignored my nagging and asked, "Is that for ZuZu? Is he going away AGAIN? He's sus-posed to play the blocks with me."

"He will, he always plays with you when he can." I reminded him, but he was waiting for his question to be answered. "Yes, I'm writing a letter so he hopefully won't miss me so much while he's gone away."

"Can I send him a picture too, I'm still learning my letters, I draw better," Tom-Tom asked so sweetly.

I had to nod, "I'm sure he'll love that."

I had been wondering when this was gonna come up. How this conversation was gonna start. My brother proved for the millionth time since he was born that he's not nearly as clueless as my parents believe. He asked me, "Sissy is Zuzu gonna take you away?"

"Why would you ask me something like that?" I had to know the source, so I knew how to word things. Without Tom-Tom blowing a full-scale meltdown with waterworks. If tear-bending were a thing, my brother would be the champion of the world.

He came back to stand beside me again and tapped my necklace asking, "He gave you that... didn't he?"

"He did-" I barely said before he was talking so fast.

"BecauseMamaSaidIfYouCameBackWithSomethingAroundYourNeckFromZuzu. HeWould-ThatHeWould-HeWouldBeTakingYouAwayAndINeedsToDoEVERYTHINGICanToMakeSureHeDid...Mama Says-Mama Says that."

Way to go mother, clearly material to get you nominated for mother of the year... Again...

"But-but-but-BUT…" Oh No! Here it comes. "I-DON'T-WANT-ZUZU-TO-TAKE-MY-ONLY-SISSY! He's got TWO already, he told me so! I met Kiyi, Holly-ween Tricks and Treats! She's nice! He doesn't need ANOTHER sissy! WHO-WILL-PLAY-WITH-ME? TAKE-CARE-OF-ME? If you go AWAY?MAMA&DADDY-DON'T-EVEN-LIKE-ME!"

And he's postal, I was afraid of this. So I had to calm him down and change his shirt, it wasn't saveable after that hurricane of emotions. Then as he colored his picture for Zuko, I explained. That "Zuko isn't going to take me in as another sister. He gave me this necklace because he wants to marry me, just like father married our mother."

When he was still sniffling bitterly, and the mother and father comparison wasn't cutting it. I tried it from another angle. "Tom-Tom whenever Zuko and me do get married, I will move in with him. But I will only be up the street and I was going there to visit him and his sister when I was a little bigger than you are now. You can come and see me whenever you want and I will always be your sissy no matter what. I'll always be here for you and take care of you. But you wanna know what Zuko probably thinks the best part of marrying me will be?"

"...No…" He said pathetically still all sad.

"When he marries me, he won't just be your friend anymore he'll be your big brother-in-law."

"Big Brother bin lawn?" he repeated.

"That's right, his family becomes my family and my family becomes his too. So you would finally be able to call him 'big brother' just like Kiyi does. Because you would be his little brother through me." I let him know.

That was all he needed to know to be back to his normal bubbly energy. Convinced that this person "ZuZu" was the best human on planet earth besides his Sissy. He even wanted to write the words 'Big Brother' at the top of his picture. So I helped him manage that. Before we were both called down to dinner. We ate together while our parents were off soaking up some of the limelight brought back to them by today's announcement at the palace. I made sure my brother ate and got to bed before I rushed off to the air docks connected to a section of the roof on the palace. My lists I'd managed to finish were in my pockets. I had even gotten them all folded neatly into the perfect teeny squares Zuko always liked (so he could hide them in any sized pocket).

When I was close, I started recognizing the faces of several Kiyoshi warriors, all dressed plainer for travel. They were all saying bye to their families too, as they were parting ways too. For a few days, at least. I couldn't seem to spot Zuko anywhere, but I suspected he was handling serious matters or something. So I was chit-chatting with friends till he appeared. I didn't realize he was standing off to the side hoping to snag me off somewhere private for a second.

I'm new to this more serious relationship we're in, okay? I'm not gonna get every cue on the first try.

So Zuko sent Ty-Lee to lure me closer to the hidden corner where he was hidden behind a huge red curtain. Completely ensconced in shadows, the second I was in reach, I was yanked into that same covered darkness and he was kissing me. When he did stop he said, "I'm really sorry… but I've missed you all day… you can't know how much… I really don't know how I'm going to make it through these next few days."

I let him know, "I missed you too." Resting my face to his, "So much that I finally got around to reading my birthday present."

"You did? You didn't save it for after I go?" He asked.

"Are you kidding? You're lucky I made it this long." I let him know.

Someone started calling to all of the warriors that they needed to begin boarding the ships. I knew any minute they would start calling for the Fire Lord. So I tried to speed things up.

"So… you've been making all these lists all this time? And I'm just starting to hear about all of them now?" I had to ask him.

His smirk grew a little sly, "Well... I had to do something so I didn't go completely nuts."

"You're completely right," I agreed, even teasing him. "Please don't pull all of your hair out, I'll have to get even with you if you ever did something like that."

"What would you call getting even?" He asked, looking a little afraid to know.

I warned him, "If you came back to me as bald as Aang, I would retaliate, by getting a little haircut myself."

His mouth fell open, "Don't even kid about that." He was so outraged that I laughed.

Before I said, "Then don't do that. Then you don't have to worry about it." I could hear all kinds of rushing around on the other side of that curtain concealing us. It pushed me to get to my point while I still had him hidden away with me. So I said, "Which reminds me, I think I may have come up with a new way you can carry me with you for now."

"You have?" He asked with a smirk. "How?"

I just started to slip my lists into any pocket on him I found.

"What's that? What are you doing?" He asked.

"Just a few lists of my own, that I thought could help you not miss me so much." I teased.

He did that thing where he said my name and sounded all amazed and overwhelmed. I love it when he sounds like that. I told him, "You also loss so many of my letters to you in the past. I hope some of these can start to make up for that… Oh and one is from Tom-Tom too. He totally can't wait till you visit again, since he knows you're gonna be his big brother too. Not just Kiyi's."

"Mai…" He said again. He shook his head not knowing what to say, then he finally said, "Thank you… I'll make sure nothing happens to any of these."

"Oh! Don't worry if it does, they're only the beginning," I had to tease. "I'm sure they'll be rewritten hundreds of times before you're bored with me."

Zuko smiled, "Our life together is going to be a lot of different things, boring is never going to be one of them."

As they called for him, I told him the same thing I always do. "Come back to me safe."

He answered the way he always did, "As long as you stay safe here."

Then we kissed the last time, and boarded the ship. I watched them lift off and disappear into the night. I knew for the first time, that my heart wasn't here anymore. It was on that airship with him. Wherever he was heading, wherever he ended up. But I also knew I had to be extra careful, knowing the heart aching in my chest wasn't mine. It was a heart far more precious, that I would protect better than I would my own.

I didn't sleep at all that night or the next. I was so miserably restless on that second night, that I spend far longer than I'd meant to reading bedtime adventures to Tom-Tom. He nodded off easily. When I came back to my hideout. I immediately noticed a drastic change in the temperature. Since I keep the fireplace almost constantly lit... It tends to run a little warmer than the rest of the house. But it was noticeably colder when I came back even though the chimney was still lit full blast. Knife in hand I crept in cautiously and noticed the doors to the balcony were open and an airship had been driven right up to that balcony and left hovering with some burly-looking guards. They greeted me, and my knife with a friendly nod, "Good Evening."

"Hand's up!" I demanded. While the four guards all seemed to have expected my reaction. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Miss Mai, It's us! The royal guards from the palace gate. Koovi, Kevi, Kelvaan, and Kyle? We were just accompanying, our lord-"

"The Fire Lord isn't home," These guys were some more of those petty mercenaries trying to make a quick buck capturing the Fire Lord's soon-to-be bride. I wasn't going down without a fight. That was when a floorboard behind me creaked and I blindly threw my knife at the sound. I knew I would miss the person standing behind me, but I also know he should get a good enough warning about my abilities if he wants to try something. Then a familiar voice said, "See what I mean, men? I'm far more safe with her than I am with a palace full of Kiyoshi warriors."

I couldn't believe it, "Zuko? How are you here? How are you back so soon?"

"Shh." he said putting a finger to my lips. "Hold that though." Then he walked over to the balcony doors and said, "Goodnight Gentlemen, your serves are no longer needed tonight."

I waved to them over Zuko's shoulder apologizing, "Sorry I didn't recognize you guys."

They all were waving back, and the guy in front said, "It's my haircut." Even though I would have never noticed a difference because of the heavy armor they were all wearing. Zuko closed the doors, before turning to face me and pulled me into a hug. The hug became a kiss, and the kiss became a make-out session across my couch. I couldn't keep going without some answers I had to break it off and ask more directly. "How are you here?" But he kept kissing me. I broke it off again, "How are you back so soon?"

All he said was, "I couldn't stand it," and "I couldn't stay away."

When he finally stopped to catch his breath, I said, "Somehow I doubt this is because of Tom-Tom's picture calling you his big brother."

"That is going up next to Kiyi's art in my office. I'm getting it framed too!" He said proudly. "But no... No. This... this is about your lists... They were awesome. And They worked. They got me mad motivated to get everything finished up early. So I could get back here as soon as possible and here I am."

"You read them all?" I asked, "In less than two days?"

"I haven't slept at all, I've never been that miserable on any trip I can remember. And this thing." He said pointing at his heart. "This thing has to be yours because I felt like the moment you were out of sight, this thing was still somehow attached to you. By string or rope that keeps tugging me home till I got here."

"I felt the same way." I couldn't believe that he'd noticed it too.

"Come home with me, or let me stay here with you, I don't care. Just please... let me be near you."

I let him know, "That's all I want too, but let's head back to the palace. Any place would feel more like home than here."

So after two terrible nights of being separated, Zuko went back out on the balcony and was glad to see that the airship was still waiting there. With the four guards from his front gate. Even though this was sometime later. They'd felt bad about leaving their Fire Lord with no royal guards. So when Zuko and I came out to head over tot he palace they were more than happy to give us a lift back to the palace. But the grand surroundings weren't what made that place home. It was the pair of arms wrapped around me.

That's all for this chapter!

But don't worry more is on the way! I will be posting more soon! Thank you so much to anyone reading these words right now. Please review if you can, I love hearing from you. Hope you're having a great day! Much Love!

~DarcyBeDippy85